[Foundation-l] Fwd: [ORG-discuss] US makes Korea eliminate fair use

[David Gerard]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Owen Blacker <owen at openrightsgroup.org>
Date: 01-Jun-2007 14:35
Subject: [ORG-discuss] US makes Korea eliminate fair use
To: Open Rights Group open discussion list
<org-discuss at lists.openrightsgroup.org>, FIPR Alerts <alerts at fipr.org>


http://www.boingboing.net/2007/05/31/us_makes_korea_elimi.html

 Korea has just finished negotiating a free trade agreement with the
US that is a complete disaster on copyright. Korea has agreed to give
up all fair use to copyrighted works, and has agreed to shut down many
of its web-hosting businesses. So much for Korea's power as a global
Internet leader. It was nice while it lasted.
 In one glaring example, the governments agree to shut down internet
sites that permit unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or
transmission of copyrighted works — without reference to exceptions
for art, education and critique. If the agreement is ratified, both US
and Korean governments will begin shutting down an undisclosed number
of peer-to-peer (P2P) and online storage ('webhard') services. Korea
will also be required to crack down on book copying on university
campuses.

 The Korea–US FTA could set a dangerous precedent. If ratified, the US
is expected to push other countries to accept the similar conditions
in their respective FTAs. Much of the 'piracy' that the US wants to
see cracked down on is of materials copyrighted by large US-based
corporations, not individual creators. Since distribution of movies,
news, internet software and images is a core area of the US economy,
the US government has long been aggressively pushing for stricter
copyright and patent regimes in international arenas, including
through GATT and WIPO. The Korea–US FTA, represents a new step in this
process. More information:
http://web.mac.com/ellenycx/iWeb/CSM%40remoPodcast/Blog/3A4A715A-AFE9-4738-9090-833565F28A4F.html

-- 
Owen Blacker, London GB
 Say no to ID cards: www.no2id.net
Get your mits off my bits: www.openrightsgroup.org
--
 Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary
 safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety  -- Benjamin Franklin, 1759
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